HOW SAFE ARE CERAMIC FEMORAL HEADS FOR HI P ENDOPROTHESES

Authors
Citation
G. Willmann, HOW SAFE ARE CERAMIC FEMORAL HEADS FOR HI P ENDOPROTHESES, Materialwissenschaft und Werkstofftechnik, 27(6), 1996, pp. 280-286
Citations number
31
Categorie Soggetti
Material Science
ISSN journal
09335137
Volume
27
Issue
6
Year of publication
1996
Pages
280 - 286
Database
ISI
SICI code
0933-5137(1996)27:6<280:HSACFH>2.0.ZU;2-E
Abstract
This is a review of the basic properties, standards, and regulations t hat are correlated to the application and safety of ceramic femoral he ads for hip endoprotheses. The investigation of more than 150 retrieve d femoral heads (revisions and autopsies) provides information about t he reasons of the failures and was basis for projects to improve ceram ic femoral heads. The revision on a hip endoprothesis is mostly caused by aseptic loosening of the stem or the socket. Failures because of m aterials properties, e.g. fracture of a stem or because of an infectio n are quite seldom. Because of this investigation it can be concluded that the Biolox femoral head is a safe component in a hip endoprothesi s. Based on 20 years clinical experience the in vivo failure rate is l ess than 0.02% for Biolox femoral heads, 0.01% for heads wite 28mm dia meter.